Portable desk



July 27, 1943. e. E. CHESLER 2,325,039

PORTABLE DESK Filed April 9, 1941 2 Sheets-sheaf, 1

INVENTOR. 61/57/2405 E 67/551155.

July 27, 1943. a CH SLQ 2,325,039

PORTABLE DESK Filed April 9, 1941 2 Sheets-Shget 2 l N VE N TOR. GUSTAIVE E 0/551 2 Patented July 27, 1943 4'o1aiiiis. (011 -2 '(Grent'ea 'uh'deiact of March 3, 1883, as

amb'nde'rl April 30, 1928:; 3'70 (ii-"G; 757') he invent on iesci-ibed hereiii'riiay we rriahu-Q feet'iiifed eiid used by or i b'iferiiinei'it of ';e United "states to? r'nefital fiflibbs's \"v'i iout'th'e on to or any 'royeity therein cccorda'iice with tnep rbyisi'ofis of the 'ae't of April 30, 1928 (Ch. 460, '45 Stat. L. 467).

vantag by one fseel zing data or records from fires. The device is petitioner itiiit'y in "con-T f1 of es 'eiitehdihg eibovethef rimm'ai sight "or eaeher a "elerkenu' to which access is cofiveht'ioheilly me by iise' "of a steb ladder or other elevatingmeens.

Portable Shelves, adapted to be hooked to a filing cabinet or a drawer thereof, have ereto; fore been known, patented and Lised, with some but fail in hiei'iy respects to avoid the necessity of repetitions ascents and descents, toa'hd from siri'g'iepositio s of Ilse, for 'eddiition'al 'nizit'eriai to be fiieci 1 siiijh positions or for materials to be used the eett, In the use of onventiohal portabiedesks for ob'teiriir'ig materials or data imin'eieveted pas ns iii tiers of file's, repetiti'oiis trips are Treqiently necessary; are exhausting to the clerk; end consiifne con'siierable amoiint of time which maybe utilized, by myinvention, to epedite and facilitate the work to he performed. I

The present invention aims general-1y to :provide a portable desk; oithe character described,- having a compartment for eonven-iently carrying workiand of a oapeeity suff cient to-contain the average amount of. work to be filed, used or re moved from one or more positions along a tier of cabinets; I 1

The invention further aims to provide Work trays to be cooperatively carried by the desk in such a manneres to present certain records Visibie to theclerk at the top'of the desk to avoid the necessity of removing such records from the trays for reference or .until its proper position in therfile has been looated for insertion. c

it i'sa'furtheraimof the invention to provide work trays of the latter character which ma be adjustable in size to suit particular -types of records and which may be readily applied to the improved desk o'r removed therefrom fo'r ideaing; reloading or emptying withoiit the neces sity of celi'tin'g the desk from its :positibh of use to such io'adihg or unloading positions.

'degreeoi essistahoe to a; file or research clerk ofive'nlently applied tit 'desirei c'ab se and which offers facilitiesfijr ereaoyese 1 pei;= f61-hiai1ces,fst1c "as" mm V d eseare "s Well as for tans-ei-vmgeireigy brea h vi sc With the it ii-g and other objects n V ew,

s be m iiivenhorinu "by which the tratefi in the v v V hi5; came-a. 'Fig'ii'i '6 il'liistr iii pact i=5 2;,

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m A ia'i'fig orefici ineinh e; e 1 lifi gqre 9 s}; lierspeotiwie of-m y iiortalhle gieslg seir bly iiI-ustrating the incorporation of the Figure 'Z emb Gimentbf the won; tray. I,

EIFhe objects and eir'ns of any-invention may 'be accomplishediby the ipreferredembodiments illustrated in which there is provided; as will beseen from an inspection of Figure 5 :patticularly; a desk H having a"top 'of work surface =l1c-zmd from wk-richdfiends' ends I2 and I3 and n; back Hi to which there is connected a, bottom 15 "to foi-m a compiertnwnt 16 beneath the deskwvork surface ll-; 1 1 Y c This-structure 'maytfe'readfly *cohstructed from asingle sheet of li'ght we'ight fileta l cu't; folded and secured at its edges to form a substantially box-shaped structure open at one side IT. The desk structure thus far described, is provided with means for removably mounting the same horizontally upon the side or front wall of a cabinet drawer or door. Suitable means for the latter purpose may comprise, as shown in Figures 2 and 9 for example, a hook-like member I8 suitably secured to the improved desk and hav-v ing a portion I9 extending therefrom along a wall of the desk compartment in spaced relation thereto to receive a wall of a cabinet drawer or door. Spaced hooks I8 and 20 may be provided for greater stability for the desk and the hooks may be connected by a cross member 2I for bracing purposes or simplicity in manufacture and assembly.

The forward edge of the bottom I of the compartment L6 may be turned upwardly to form a lip 22 as means for retaining records, material or other equipment, to be described presently, and for preventing their accidental sliding from the compartment.

In order that a clerk's hold or grasp of a pack or stack of records, such as indicated by references 23 and 24 in Figures 2, 3 and 3A, may be conveniently retained until the records are properly positioned in the desk compartment and in order that records within the compartment may be conveniently grasped for their removal therefrom, the desk top H and the bottom l5 of the compartment may be notched-out as at 25 and 26 to permit passage of the clerks fingers.

As shown particularly in Figures 1, 2, 3A and 5, means adjustably associated or carried by the desk are provided for holding or compressing a stack or pack of card or sheet records to prevent their disarray. Such means may suitably comprise resilient finger-like members 21 and 28 having a curved or shoe-like end whereby the records may be moved to and from the compressional effect of the fingers without destruction or impairment. In order that these finger-like members may be adjusted to desired positions with respect to records to be held thereby, the desk top I I and compartment bottom I5, or work tray bottom to be described hereinafter, may be provided with elongated openings such as 29 and 30 along which the finger mounting screws 3| may be moved and fixed at desired positions by the tightening of nuts 32, which for convenience may be of the wing type. By this arrangement,

stacks of records such as indicated by reference numeral 24 may be held down against the bottom I5 of the compartment I6 by fingers 21 carried by the top II of the desk. The fingers 21 extend arcuately rearward and downward into contact with the records so that the records may be successively accessible without interference. For the insertion or removal of a stack of records the same may be conveniently grasped at the top from a position beneath the arcuate portion of the fingers 21 and grasped from the bottom through the notched-out opening 26.

In order to visibly present certain portions, such as names, addresses or serial numbers, of the successive uppermost record, of a stack within the compartment, at the top of the desk, without removing the records from the compartment, I provide a window or opening 33 through the desks surface II into the compartment I6, 01' a size determinable by the amount of record desired to be exposed for ready reference. In this arrangement, I prefer to have the stack of records, such as indicated by reference numeral 23,

held or compressed upwardly against the under surface of the desk top I I by one or more resilient fingers 28 mounted beneath the records. The upwardly effective fingers 28 curve upwardly and rearwardly into contact with the records in order that free access may be had for grasping the stack from beneath without interference by the fingers 28, grasping access to the top of the stack or the top record being had through the notchedout opening 25 in the desk surface member. By

this arrangement a reference portion of each successive uppermost record is visibly presented at the surface of the desk and need not be removed or handled until its place is located in the file cabinets or until reference thereto has been completed and reference to the next successive record is desired. The clerks hands are left free by this arrangement during reference to the record, the record is held sufliciently exposed for reference purposes, it does not become an obstacle to other operations on the desk top, and it is not in a position to be brushed from the desk, requiring a descent from the position of work for its recovery.

The desk compartment I6 may be filled with records before or after it is positioned for use, but to avoid the necessity of carting the desk to and from elevated or other positionsof use. to reload or replenish the supply of records after the disposal of the original volume, I provide a work tray 34 which, when carried by the desk in a manner such as shown for example in Figures 2, 3, 3A and 9, provides a cooperative combination capable of functioning to accomplish the objects and advantages pointed out.

Suitable embodiments of the work tray elements of the combination are illustrated in cooperative assembly With the desk in Figures 2, 3. 3A and 9 and in dotted lines in Figure l. The work trays are of a size as may be readily slid into the desk compartment I6 and lowered to a resting position on the bottom I5 of the compartment behind the lip 22 thereof and from which position the trays may be removed by a slight tilt or elevation of the outermost edge thereof, during the initial movement, to clear the lip 22. These trays may be of fixed dimensions but are preferably adjustable in width and length to accommodate various sizes and types of records. Work trays of suitable construction comprise a bottom member 35 provided with notches 26A positioned to register with notches 26 in the bottom I5 of the compartment to facilitate the grasping of records within the compartment as pointed out hereinbefore. Upon the tray-bottom 35 are mounted an upright tray-back 36 and upright tray-ends or division members 31. In order that the tra may be varied in size to accommodate records of different types, the member 31 may be adjustably secured to the tray-bottom 35 by the provision of elongated means of which the continuous slots 38 and 39 are representative, as shown in Figure 4, through which bolt 40 and 4| carried projectingly from the bottom. surface of the members 31 may pass to clamp the members 31 at desired positions by the tightening of nuts 42 and 43. As an alternative for the support of members 31, slots 44, as shown in Figures 7 and 9, are provided in the tray-bottom 35 into which the bottom portions of the members 31 may pass and be supported.

The tray-back 36 may be adjustably attached to or carried by the tray-bottom 35 or the members 31 by any suitable means. A practical manner, however, is by the provision of spaced slots 45 in the upper portions of the members 31 and similar slots 45 in the bottom portion of the trayback 36 whereby the tray-back may be interlockingly carried by the members 31 at desired positions. By this arrangement it will be seen that the width of the tray may be varied by the positioning of the tray-back 36 and that the length of the tray may be adjusted by the positioning of the members 31.

A shown in Figure 8, the tray-back 36 may consist of two pieces 36A and 36B slidingly secured together in order that the width of the back may be varied. The tray-end or division members 31 may be of a similar construction, though not shown, for similar purposes.

The members 31 may be moved to the ends of the tray-bottom 35 and serve as ends for the tray, or when used with the desk the compartment ends 12 and I3 cooperate to serve as ends for the tra and the members 31 may be positioned intermediate thereof as division members to provide smaller tray areas for such as card records.

To prevent the ends of bolts 40 and 4| and their nuts 42 and 43 from interfering with the positioning of the tray in the compartment Hi, the edges of the tray-bottom 35 may be turned downward to provide supports or legs 41 and 48 of sufficient length to carry the bolt ends in elevation above the compartment bottom I5 when the tray is positioned thereon. I

In the embodiment of Figure '7 and 9 the traybottom 35 is made rearwardly declining by the provision of a shorter leg 41, than 48, or by the elimination thereof. By this construction the holding or compression fingers may be eliminated since the records will tend to slide rearW-ardly and rest in abutment with the tray-back 35 rather,

than slide forward in the compartment to a position where the are apt to fall to the floor.

The record holding fingers 28, if carried by the tray-bottom as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, cooperate with the under surface of the desk top I l to hold the top-most record of a. stack in position for partial visibility through opening 33 of the desk.

As shown in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2 the desk assembly may be provided with a bail 49 for conveniently carryingthe desk to desired positions of use. The bail may also serve as a stop or as an abutment along the rear edge of the desk surface to prevent records from accidentally being brushed or pushed from the desk surface.

Having described my invention and illustrated embodiments whereby the same may be practiced, what I claim is:

1. In a portable desk of the character having a desk surface member, and a support carried by said member in spaced relation thereto and forming therewith a main compartment adapted for use as a container for records, the improvements comprising a hooklike member carried by said assembly whereby the same may be removably attached to a wall of a cabinet drawer and the like, for horizontally supporting the assembly in elevated positions, an upright member carried with in said compartment inan adjustable manner for dividing the main compartment into variable smaller compartments in accordancewith sizes of records to be carried thereby, said main compartment having a slot in a wall thereof and a compressor means within said compartment provided with means cooperating with said slot whereby said compressor means is clamped to said wall for holding records placed therein flat against the inner surface of one of said compartment forming members, the edge of at least one of said compartment forming members being notched and through at least one of which notches records within the compartment may be conveniently grasped for removal and insertion.

2. A portable desk comprising the combination of a desk surface member, a support carried by said member in spaced relation thereto and forming therewith the bottom member of a compartment open at its front for use as a container for records, a wall of said compartment being provided with a slot, said desk surface member having a window through which a portion of records within the compartment may be visualized for reference while contained therein, means carried by said desk adapted to hook over an upright wall of a drawer whereby the desk may be removably supported at desired places of use, an upright member carried within said compartment in an adjustable manner whereby the size of the area of the compartment to be used may be Varied in accordance with sizes of records to be carried thereby, and a compressor provided with means extending through a slot in a wall of a compartment for adjustably clamping it to said Wall within said compartment for holding records placed therein fiat against the inner surface of one of said compartment-forming members.

3. A portable desk having walls defining a compartment open at its front, in combination with a means for removably supporting the desk in cantilever manner over the edge of a drawer, and a work support removably carried within said compartment, said Work support comprising a base member having transverse uprights adjustablymounted thereon at points removed from the ends of said base member, an upright backing in adjustable interlocking relation with and transversely of said transverse uprights, said base, uprights and the top of said compartment constituting work-embracing walls, a resilient compression means for friction'ally holding one or more records within said work-embracing walls, one of said work-embracing walls providing an elongated slot-like means in which said compression means is adjustably retained.

4. In combination with a portable desk having a top work surface, end walls and a bottom wall defining a compartment, hooklike means carried by said desk for removably supporting the same in cantilever manner over the edge of a cabinet drawer, a work supporting member removably carried on said bottom wall, upright partitions adjus'tably carried by" and transversely of said member at points removed from the ends thereof, said partitions cooperating to form small compartments within the desk compartment between .the uprights and the outermost uprights cooperat ing with said end walls to form small compartments therebetween, an upright backing member in adjustable interlocking relation with and transversely of said upright partitions, the positioning of said uprights being variable for separating and narrowing the supporting area of the member to accommodate sizes of records to be carried thereby, said compartment bottom wall and the Work supporting member removably carried thereby having registering openings through which records within the compartment may be grasped, and resilient record holding means adjustably mounted between said desk work surface and said work supporting member.

GUSTAVE E. CHESLER. 

